The role of an Interim Manager in the Packaging sector

The packaging sector is subject to major issues that require strong responsiveness: new increasingly complex legislation, radical changes to the production cycle, and challenges in terms of logistics and supply chain, increased competition in the international … the stakes are high.

Calling on a highly qualified external competence to manage complex missions can be an excellent idea.

What is the added value of an interim manager in packaging , what is his exact role? Here are all the things you need to know.

Why hire a Transition Manager in packaging?

Environmental regulations sometimes change very quickly. The circular economy is taking on a primordial dimension, the questions of recycling and sorting of waste are increasingly central. The packaging sector is, in essence, directly impacted, because it consumes a large number of raw materials, some of which are complicated to recycle, and generate heavy waste such as plastic. These new evolving and sometimes complex legislations imply a radical change of procedure, a modification in the machines used and in the material used. Work patterns can change completely in a short time. It is then necessary to be reactive. An Interim Manager with solid experience can support a company in its change management and the implementation of reforms concerning the circular economy.

In addition, packaging is a sensitive sector, with repercussions that can have serious consequences in terms of hygiene, health and safety. This can be true in the food sector, but also in the pharmaceutical sector, or even for medicine packaging. Consequently, the legislation is also heavy on these subjects. A perfect mastery of the current legislation and an unfailing rigor in its application, will then be a significant plus in an Interim Manager.

Finally, the packaging sector faces significant competition from developing countries, hence the need to produce at competitive costs with very short lead times, to satisfy an increasingly volatile public.

What positions does an Interim Manager in packaging hold?

In the packaging sector, an Interim Manager may be called upon to occupy a wide variety of functions:

On a production site, the Interim Manager is often called upon to supervise a team and manage the activity. He can also have a role of coordinator between the different production players: the design office, the purchasing office, the engineering office, the sales departments and production.

On a logistics site, he is often asked to manage a team. He is required to coordinate the various logistics operators and to manage incoming and outgoing information flows (production/manufacturing, warehouse/manufacturing, inventory management/manufacturing, etc.). He can thus coordinate, for example, the reorganization of the Supply Chain.

In the event of a major change such as the implementation of new legislation or the arrival of a competitor, the Transition Manager supports the change management by relying on his perfect mastery of the regulations, his significant experience and his ability to work in project mode.

As we have observed, transition managers, engineers who are experts in circular economy and waste sorting issues, bring real added value in a sector subject to changing legislation: stopping plastic packaging, new standards sorting…

What profile for a Transition Manager in packaging?

The Interim Manager is a senior executive with extensive experience in managing a team, a department or a plant.

He must have a good knowledge of the sector as well as current developments, particularly with regard to environmental issues.

He must be able to understand, analyze problems and make decisions.

He is often mandated by the client company to implement a fundamental change: he must therefore demonstrate proven technical skills, also have the ability to communicate and convince in order to set up follow-up processes and raise awareness. change teams.

The Interim Manager must be rigorous, serious and patient: he must always keep in mind that his role is above all to encourage consideration of a change (and not to carry out the change itself). He must be able to make decisions quickly, but also to assume them.

He must have a good capacity for summarizing and an unfailing sense of organization, because an interim management mission can involve several hundred people and several dozen sites.

He must be able to work in project mode: he must be able to focus on short-term actions to achieve his objectives.

What price for an Interim Manager?

The Transition Manager in the packaging sector represents a cost ranging from 1000 to 1500€ for a company. A variable cost depending on the position held and the level of responsibility: an end-of-career project director can be paid up to €3,000 per day, while an experienced Manager can be paid between €1,000 and €1,500.

To calculate the rate invoiced to the company, the interim management firm relies on various parameters: the number of days of presence of the Interim Manager in the company, the number of projects on which he is mobilized, the number of people he must accompany, payment of travel expenses (if necessary) as well as consideration of additional costs incurred by the Manager and by the company.

The price of an Interim Manager depends on his experience and expertise.